Marcella Taylor shares how ParentChild+ shaped her parenting journey—now her daughter steps into adulthood and continues her legacy.
When Marcella Taylor, ParentChild+ Program Manager at Start Early Washington, reflects on the journey with her daughter Taylor-Corrine, the line between professional mission and personal experience beautifully blurs. What began as an early parenting journey supported by the ParentChild+ home visiting program has now evolved into witnessing her daughter confidently step into adulthood—and into her legacy.
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At 22, Taylor-Corrine is preparing to graduate from the University of Southern California, a poised and purposeful young woman with a powerful sense of identity and history. As Marcella recounts a recent trip the two took together to the annual ParentChild+ national conference, she describes a surreal moment of recognition: “It’s my first time seeing her and thinking, oh my gosh, you’re a full-grown woman. I knew it, but to see it, face to face—wow.”
Watching Taylor-Corrine navigate the world as an adult has brought with it a complex and deeply emotional recalibration for Marcella. “It’s been a readjustment. I logically knew this phase was coming, but emotionally? It’s different. It’s new.”
And yet, it’s also something that feels profoundly full circle.
Taylor-Corrine’s very name tells a story—of heritage, strength, and intentionality. “Taylor is my maiden name,” Marcella explains. “Corrine was her paternal grandmother’s name, someone she never got to meet. and then Benton, is her dad, Tony. Her name is family. Her name is legacy. Her name is history.” This legacy is not just in name alone—it’s evident in the way Taylor-Corrine lives, learns, and leads.
On USC’s campus, Taylor-Corrine co-founded Woodlums, a group dedicated to connecting Black students with nature. From organizing camping trips to leading retreats, she’s created space for healing and joy in the outdoors—a deeply intentional act of community care and empowerment. “She leaves her mark,” Marcella beams. “She walks onto campus with this energy that says, ‘This is my space. I belong here.’”
Getting there wasn’t easy. Taylor-Corrine’s journey through predominantly white educational institutions—from Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences to USC—meant navigating challenges and trauma. “It was hard. There were times I wished she had the comfort and cultural embrace of an HBCU,” Marcella says. “But what I can say is, she was prepared.”
That preparation, Marcella reflects, was both personal and intentional. “We always said: school is for academics. But your identity, your history? That starts at home.” Taylor-Corrine entered these institutions grounded in who she was—something both Marcella and Taylor-Corrine’s dad were deeply committed to fostering.
Marcella credits ParentChild+ with helping her understand and name what she and Tony were already doing instinctively. “ParentChild+ validated our parenting,” she explains. “I didn’t realize that when I was doing call-and-response with her or narrating our day, I was building her language and literacy skills. The program put words to what we were already doing, and that meant everything.”
Marcella’s connection to ParentChild+ runs deep. Taylor-Corrine was the reason they enrolled. Tony became involved in early learning advocacy across the state, serving on boards like Thrive Washington. Eventually, Marcella joined the ParentChild+ team herself. “She is the root of it all,” Marcella says. “The reason for every step we took in this work.”
One of the most profound parts of Marcella’s story is how the roles between mother and daughter have begun to shift. “Honestly, if ParentChild+ were still happening in our home today, I’d be the child and she’d be the parent,” Marcella laughs. “Life is the home visitor now.”
Marcella describes being constantly inspired by what she learns from Taylor-Corrine—through her education, activism, and sheer way of being in the world. “She recommends books, she shares insights, she challenges my thinking. She’s teaching me all the time.”
And, she sees her daughter’s academic journey as one that uplifts them both. “Every time I talk to her, I learn something. And that’s one of the greatest joys of motherhood—especially at this stage.”
What made it all possible? Freedom. Creativity. A home environment where ideas and exploration were always welcomed. “She built a drum set out of cardboard boxes as a kid,” Marcella remembers. “Whenever she had an interest, we asked, ‘What do you need to explore that?’” That kind of parenting—intentional, affirming, and curious—was supported by the guidance of home visiting and a deep trust in Taylor-Corrine’s unfolding self.
What’s clear from Taylor Corrine’s story—and from so many like hers—is that the journey of parent engagement through home visiting doesn’t end when the visits do. Instead, it sets the stage for a lifetime of impact. Listening to Taylor Corrine question sources, guide conversations with compassion, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with emotional intelligence is more than just heartwarming; it’s evidence of what early investment in families can unlock. Through ParentChild+, both children and caregivers grow—in language, in confidence, and in capacity.
This isn’t just about one young woman’s journey into adulthood—it’s about what’s possible when families are supported, when history is honored, and when love is allowed to evolve. It’s about legacy. It’s about parenting with both intuition and intention.
And it’s about understanding that sometimes, the greatest lessons come from the very children we once taught to walk.
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